Briggs Intek started on first pull, no prep!

[01rangerxl]

In my fleet I have a 2003ish Craftsman push mower made by AYP. It has a Biggs Intek OHV engine with a primer. At one time it was self propelled, but the transmission took a dump last August. After that I put it in the garage and used my lighter old school push mower.

Today I had a job where my Great Dane would not fit and it required bagging. The old mower doesn't bag and sits so low that its mostly used for killing everything growing. I pulled the Craftsman out because it was the best tool for the job. The gas tank was low, so I added some fresh gas, primed it a few times, and to my amazement it started and ran strong on the first pull! I couldn't believe how quickly it started after sitting for nearly 8 months with no storage prep or prep before starting aside from adding gas. Even my Honda GC160 needs a couple pulls when it has been sitting.

I'm a flat head fan, but I gotta hand it to Briggs for the Intek's reliability.

 

[JosephHarmon]

So did mine flat head 4.5hp, 6 pumps on the primer and one pull.

 

[440Magnum]

My early 90s flathead "6" horsepower on the old Murray did the same the other day.

My much newer primerless automatic choke version on the Toro, on the other hand, took about 4 pulls :-/ Progress? Not.

 

[The motor guy]

The flathead briggs always start on one pull. Unless you forget to prime it.

 

[exranger06]

My Honda GCV160 has no primer and ALWAYS starts on the first pull, even after sitting for 6+ months.

 

[01rangerxl]

Quote:
The flathead briggs always start on one pull. Unless you forget to prime it.


As I said, I'm a flat head fan...I wouldn't have been so surprised if this was a Quantum flat head. I was expecting to at least have to give it some ether, but it didn't need a thing.

I think the primer helps a lot. My Honda uses a choke and isn't so quick to start. My really old Briggs uses a choke as well and also needs a few pulls. Everything I have with a primer starts quickly.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
My Honda GCV160 has no primer and ALWAYS starts on the first pull, even after sitting for 6+ months.


Mine never has, but it's a GC160 horizontal engine on a pressure washer. I used to methodically drain the fuel out at the end of the season and do an oil change, then check everything over before starting again, but stopped since it wasn't helping. Now I just put it away like the others and deal with it.

 

[Nick R]

My flathead didn't this year. Pull, pull pull, no start. I ended up pulling the air filter, and using starter fluid to get it going and keep it going. Eventually it kept running. I'm guessing it has something to do with the carb being filled with StaBil all winter, or maybe the jet was plugged and it took a few minutes for the new gas to clean it out or something.But after that it starts first pull like it always has.

 

[Brons2]

when my mower doesn't want to start, it's usually got bad gas. A fresh tank always restores first pull reliability.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Virtually every small engine that I have starts on the first pull, even after sitting all winter with ethanol in the tank.

I started my JD 757 on Sunday for the first time since I put it away in October. I put the battery back in, bumped the starter and it fired right up. I also started my 1980's vintage tiller with a 5hp Briggs and Stratton engine on it, and it started first pull. I have no doubt that my DR trimmer will start on the first pull, and my pressure washer will also start on the first pull when I'm ready to use them.